Books and articles about Bob Lillis

RELATED LINKS Around the Web » Bob Lillis from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

A native of Los Angeles, Lillis signed with Brooklyn in 1951 and appeared to be ready to replace Pee Wee Reese at shortstop in 1958, the year the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. After injuries delayed his debut, he batted .391 in 20 games in 1958, but he lost the shortstop job to rookie Maury Wills in 1959. He was swapped to the Cardinals in mid-1961, drafted by the expansion Colt .45s that winter, and was the team's MVP in its inaugural season. He batted a career-high .268 in 1964 and remained a Houston regular until 1966. A scout and instructor in the Astros organization from 1968 to 1972, he joined their major league coaching staff in 1973 and replaced Bill Virdon as manager on August 10, 1982. Leading the Astros to third place in 1983, Lillis finished second in NL Manager of the Year voting. After an 83-79 record in 1985, he was replaced by Hal Lanier. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 30, 1961: The Dodgers trade IF Bob Lillis and OF Carl Warwick to St. Louis for IF Daryl Spencer. » October 10, 1961: An expansion draft to stock the new National League clubs takes place in Cincinnati. Selecting 1st, Houston takes Giants SS Eddie Bressoud; the Mets take 31-year-old Giant C Hobie Landrith. Second choices are Bob Aspromonte (45s) and Elio Chacon. Other Houston selections include Bobby Shantz, Ken Johnson, Dick Farrell, and Bob Lillis. New York takes Roger Craig, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Gus Bell, Jay Hook, among others. Also, Cards C Chris Cannizzaro, out much of this year due to an appendectomy. » July 24, 1965: At the Astrodome, Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall loses his no hitter when Bob Lillis singles in the 8th inning. Nuxhall finishes with a 2–0 one hitter. » August 10, 1982: Bob Lillis replaces Bill Virdon as manager of the Houston Astros. Virdon was the senior manager in the National League, having managed the Astros since 1975. » October 7, 1985: National League Managers Chuck Tanner and Bob Lillis are fired by the Pirates and Astros, respectively. Lillis is offered a front-office job, while Tanner will be hired to manage the Braves just three days later.